Zechariah 9:1 Meaning and Explanation
“The burden of the word of the LORD in the land of Hadrach, and Damascus shall be the rest thereof: when the eyes of man, as of all the tribes of Israel, shall be toward the LORD.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →A weighty word from the LORD falls upon the lands to Israel's north, with the promise that the eyes of all people will at last turn toward Him.
What Does Zechariah 9:1 Mean?
The chapter opens with a burden, a heavy oracle of the word of the LORD, sweeping across the territories north of the land, beginning with Hadrach and settling upon Damascus, the chief city of Syria. These were the great powers along the path an invader would travel toward Jerusalem.
Yet the announcement of judgment carries within it a wider hope: that the eyes of mankind, and not Israel alone, will be drawn toward the LORD. Even pronouncements against the nations point forward to a day when every people looks to the one true God. The God who weighs the fates of empires is the same God who means to gather the gaze of the whole world to Himself.
Zechariah 9:1 in the Original Language
massa (מַשָּׂא), 'burden' -- a weighty oracle, a message so heavy the prophet must lift and carry it.
Frequently Asked Questions About Zechariah 9:1
What does Zechariah 9:1 mean?
A weighty word from the LORD falls upon the lands to Israel's north, with the promise that the eyes of all people will at last turn toward Him.